


Meeting The Father

by 1JettaPug



Category: DCU, The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Acceptance, Boyfriends, Domestic, Family, Family Fluff, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Meeting the Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 21:43:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8684452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1JettaPug/pseuds/1JettaPug
Summary: "I'm not ready for this!" It was useless to try and argue at this point, Hartley thought, but that didn't stop him from digging his heels in the cement."Come on, you big baby." Axel tugged him along. "It's just my father.""It's your father, The Trickster! And he won't think twice about shooting me, Axel.""He's more likely to try and drown you in his warehouse." Axel told him, which did not help Hartley's nerves at all."Please remind me how you talked me into this.""Lots and lots of Netflix and chill,"





	

"I'm not ready for this!" It was useless to try and argue at this point, Hartley thought, but that didn't stop him from digging his heels in the cement.

"Come on, you big baby." Axel tugged him along. "It's just my father."

"It's your father, _The Trickster_! And he won't think twice about shooting me, Axel."

"He's more likely to try and drown you in his warehouse." Axel told him, which did not help Hartley's nerves at all.

"Please remind me how you talked me into this."

"Lots and lots of Netflix and chill," Axel shrugged. The two of them were standing in front of a huge warehouse, the hideout of the older Trickster.

"Couldn't we tell him tomorrow?"

"We could," Axel said, gently coaxing and pulling Hartley forward by his hand. "But let's go ahead and rip this band-aid off already. Oh, and if he throws chickens at you, dodge 'em."

Hartley blinked. "Chickens?"

"Rubber chickens." Axel nodded. "Oh, and by the way, don't hug him unless he wants you to hug him. It's a guess to what kind of trick he has in/on his jackets."

"You're really helping me out here..." Piper groaned, dragging a hand down his face. Axel leaned over and kissed his cheek. 

"I'm pretty sure that my dad will approve of you, Pipes. He'll be thrilled to bits." he paused and looked down, "Apart from us not telling him in the first place. He'll hate that." With that said, Axel nudged Hartley in the ribs and nodded towards the door before them, "Come on, I'm sure he'll love you. I mean, it means our relationship has been doing pretty well for me to bring you home to my dad."

Hartley took in a deep breath and shook his head, almost sure that he was going to die thanks to a cyanide pie to the face, "Alright then... I'm only doing this for you, Axel."

"Thanks, Pipes," Hartley gave a little smile and followed behind Axel as he opened the door to the warehouse. He slammed it shut when both of them were inside and spun around on his heel, proclaiming, "DAD!!! I'M BACK!!! AND I'VE BROUGHT COMPANY!!!"

"AXEL!? YOU'RE AN HOUR LATE!!!" Hartley was now one hundred percent convinced that no one in their family knew what an inside voice was. "WHO'D YOU BRING WITH YOU?!"

"PIED PIPER!!!"

"ALRIGHTY, HOLD ON A SECOND!!!" A gunshot went off, metal pieces hit the floor and a kitchen timer went off all before James finally managed to show himself.

He was wiping flour off his suspenders and attempting to straighten his messy hair. "I wouldn't have gotten started on a project if you'd shown up on time~" He said, a grin crossing his face. "You know I don't like it when people are late, Axel~" He motioned for him to come over. He drew Axel into his arms in a tight, almost crushing hug. "I was worried..." he whispered to him, quietly.

"I know," Axel whispered back to him, returning the embrace without trying to crush his father. "I'm sorry, dad." He waited until he broke the hug, and he stepped back and smiled. “We were delayed cause I didn't want to risk getting spotted on my bike.” Axel said, then pointed back to Piper. "Dad, you remember Hartley, yeah?"

“Mmm,” James hummed and nodded to Hartley. "Piper, nice to see you again.”

“Yes,” Hartley said, straightening up some. "It's been a while, Jesse."

"Oh always formalities with you, Pipey~" The older Trickster crooned. "Please, call me James~"

"James, yes...” Hartley repeated and blinked.

“Come on," He motioned further into the warehouse. "Let's go to the living room!"

"There's a living room here?" Hartley tried not to impolite. He looked around and saw props, manikins, instruments and every type of explosive that James managed to get his hands on. It looked like garbage piled up against the walls- the ugly walls that were painted every color there could be.

Still, he followed the Tricksters into the living room. It had less stuff than the main area, but it was still a bit cluttered. Rubber chickens were hung up on the walls like plaques. James took his place in a comfy armchair while the boys took the half blue and yellow couch.

"So, so, so,” James said, resting back in his chair. "To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing my baby boy for the first time in a month?" Neither of them missed the growl in his words at the end of the sentence. Hartley tried not to look back at the entrance door to escape, and Axel tried not to squirm in place.

"I- I meant to come back sooner, dad." Axel told him.

"Where were you?" Hartley felt a chill run down his back. James' glare gave Cold's a good run for his money. He really didn't want to around when the man was actually angry. 

"I was just running around the city, taking what I wanted and needed." Axel said. "I just bummed around at Piper's apartment because he usually had a fridge full of beer and leftover pizza. The next thing I know, things started to happ-" He didn't say anymore when James held his hands up. Hartley sighed; he was just about to tell him about them.

"Now, now~" Apparently, he flipped back into his previously happy mood. "That's good enough for me. Let's just leave that in the past. You're here now! And now we get to catch up~" He leaned forward and grabbed a coffee mug off the coffee table. "Pull any heists without me?" It was said in such a light tone that Hartley completely missed the underlying darkness in his words. Axel caught it since he knew it the best, though.

"No, sir."

"We'll just have to plan one to celebrate your return, then~!" James smirked. "I've got three hundred pounds of sardines and no clue what to do with 'em."

"That's a lot of fish." Axel whistled, leaning forward, clearly invested in planning a trick now. "Do we have a giant fan?"

"No," James pouted like a five-year-old. "Those black-market goons don't even have a medium sized fan- can you believe it?!"

Hartley felt himself relax just a little bit. The Tricksters seemed to have completely forgotten about him now that they were in full trick-mode. He was sure they would go on talking and planning for hours if he didn't interrupt them. ...Still, he did promise Axel that they would tell James about their relationship. He sighed, trying to resist groaning out loud. He cleared his throat, interrupting them and earning a glare from James for it.

"It's rude to interrupt a conversation."

"I apologize, James," Hartley spoke up. "But I have information that I think you would be interested in."

The Trickster grinned like a kid in a candy store. "OOooohh, what kind of information~?" He drummed his fingers against each other, waiting for Piper to tell him.

"Private information-"

"Oh, if this is about Mick's Clifford tattoo, then I already know."

"No, it's about-"

"That embarrassing rash Mardon has? I think it's shaped like Texas." James hummed out. "Actually, he should really go see a doctor about that."

"It's not that. It's-"

"About the time Lisa turned her brother's parka pink and got the blame passed onto Mick?"

Hartley's eye twitched. He was honestly trying not to raise his voice right now. It was like he was trying to talk to a child with ADHD hyped up on sugar.

"James, I-" He was cut off again, but he wasn't cut off by James.

"Hartley and I are dating!!!" Axel more or less squeaked out. Hartley sat back on the couch and breathed in deeply. When it finally registered what they just admitted to James, they blinked and looked back to him.

“I knew it! I knew my boy couldn't leave for a month without some kind of reason! I suspected a man was involved~” James beamed, laughing happily.

Piper fell back on the couch. "Thank goodness!" Axel's grin rivaled his father in joy. He was overwhelmed that his father was happy with their relationship.

Hartley turned to face James. “So you’re not upset in the least?"

The older Trickster's brow furrowed in confusion. “Why would I be upset over this? This is fantastic news!” He all but jumped up from his armchair and pulled Axel up into a hug. "I'm so happy for you crazy kids."

Piper felt relief wash over him, and he let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding. He smiled softly at the warm father and son moment, watching as James kissed Axel forehead and told him that he was happy for him. Indeed, this had gone much, much better than he thought.

James pulled Axel in for another hug and looked over his son's shoulder at Hartley. He smiled at him and mouthed, "Don't you ever, **ever** hurt my baby boy. I will not hesitate to kill you." Then he pulled away from his hug and chuckled, "So when's the wedding~?"

Hartley swallowed hard, feeling his stomach twist back into knots.


End file.
